The San Antonio Spurs, led by Chris Paul’s double-double performance, secured a 110-104 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
The Spurs, playing without Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell, earned their first win in the Emirates NBA Cup.
Paul contributed 14 points and 11 assists, including a critical three-pointer late in the fourth quarter.
Keldon Johnson topped the Spurs’ scoring with 22 points, while Harrison Barnes added 20, shooting 47% from the field as a team.
The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied a game-high 32 points, and Jalen Williams added 27, but Oklahoma City couldn’t close the gap despite a strong late-game surge.
The Thunder scored just six points in the final three minutes, sealing their defeat.
The Spurs seized control with a 25-3 run spanning the second and third quarters, turning a one-point deficit into a 74-58 lead.
San Antonio rookie Stephon Castle played a key role with 10 points, eight assists, and a crucial block on Gilgeous-Alexander in the closing seconds. Charles Bassey contributed 12 points off the bench.
Despite forcing 20 turnovers, Oklahoma City shot just 41% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc. Chet Holmgren, out with a hip injury, was sorely missed as the Thunder struggled to match the Spurs’ interior presence.
The victory snaps San Antonio’s five-game NBA Cup losing streak, improving their overall record to 7-8. The Thunder fell to 11-4, with this loss marking their second consecutive defeat in the tournament.
